Republican warns GOP could 'squander the best opportunity' its had in a 'long time'

Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) made a final sales pitch to voters before Tuesday’s election for a second Donald Trump term – and a GOP majority in Congress – warning his fellow Republicans Monday that the next two years will have been “squandered” if Trump doesn’t return to the White House and Republicans don’t control both chambers.

Cornyn, who is not on the ballot in his home state but is a GOP favorite to replace Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) who is stepping down from his leadership position, made the remarks Monday in an interview with Fox News host Neil Cavuto.

“I think we’re going to have some incredibly challenging opportunities come January,” Cornyn, first elected in 2002, said. “If we don’t hit this two-year window really with President Trump in office and a Republican majority in the House and Senate, I think we will have squandered the best opportunity we’ve had in a long time to begin to bend the debt curve and to reprioritize federal spending and to keep taxes low and the economy growing, which is what President Trump wants to do.”

ALSO READ: Dems freaking out over ‘grossly incompetent’ Harris operation in Pennsylvania

Cornyn's response came after Cavuto said he and Sen. John Thune (R-SD), who is also a leading candidate to replace McConnell, are “mirror images of each other.” Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) is also viewed as a leadership contender.

“I’m not sure John Thune would consider that a compliment,” Cornyn said with a laugh.

The Lone Star State’s senior senator continued the interview by telling the Fox News host that he was “optimistic” about the Republicans’ chances of retaking the Senate because “we have the best Senate map we have had in a long time.”

“I like our chances for regaining the majority of the Senate and stopping a lot of the dysfunction we’ve seen under the Democratic leadership for the past four years,” he said, adding that the U.S.-Mexico border under the Biden administration has become an “unmitigated disaster.”

Looking past the election and into the governing phase, Cornyn told Cavuto that while Trump was president, “it was a very successful four years and as I’ve told President Trump I’m interested in getting the band back together again.”

Watch the clip below or at this link.